In the past, engine driven vehicles were relatively noisy. Currently, motor vehicles, vessels (such as boats) and other pieces of equipment (such as compressors) which utilize an engine as their source of power typically have an engine coupled to one or more energy absorbing mounts. Typically these energy absorbing mounts dampen vibrations, attenuate sound or lessen destructive forces, which shorten the life of components. Examples of energy absorbing mounts include motor mounts, shock absorber ends, sway bar bushings and control arm bushings.
Initially, primitive energy absorbing mounts simply comprised rubber bushings for absorbing energy which were constrained between two metal plates and further comprised a mounting bolt for coupling to the engine. The construction of energy absorbing mounts has evolved over time as material science and vibration-absorbing technology has improved. Even though materials used for energy absorbing have improved, based on economical considerations and a desire to absorb a greater amount of vibration, sound and destructive forces, the energy absorbing portion of the mount has been made of softer materials without compensating for the reduced durability of the energy absorbing portion of the mount. The softening of this energy absorbing material has led to shorter mount life since the softer energy absorbing material degenerates more rapidly.
Typically, a motor mount comprises a component assembly including an outer framework, which is fastened to the structural frame of the vehicle (vessel or equipment). The motor mount further includes an energy absorbing material (compliant) in an interior portion of the component assembly, which is designed to absorb vibration and to attenuate sound and destructive forces. Typically, a secondary framework, consisting of a tube accommodating a mounting bolt, is suspended within this energy absorbing (compliant) material. This central bolt is coupled to a bracket, which is attached to the engine. Often, the component assembly cannot be disassembled without destruction of the energy absorbing (compliant) material in the interior portion of the component assembly. The energy absorbing material adheres to both the outer framework and the secondary framework having the tube and the mounting bolt. The purpose of the above described component assembly is to suspend and hold the engine in place so that vibration/force/sound transfer to the vehicle (vessel or equipment) is significantly reduced. Consequently this increases the life of the engine, structural framework and mounts, and provides improved operator comfort. The energy absorbing (compliant) portion of the component assembly eventually degenerates due to the forces applied to it by the engine through environmental factors such as temperature cycling, chemicals and mechanical fatiguing factors. Similar degradation occurs to other components as described above, where vibration, sound and force are absorbed by an energy absorbing (compliant) material suspended between at least two structural mounting brackets.
For illustration, in the specific case of motor mounts for vehicle engines, motor mounts were previously found on both sides of the engine at the lower side, and also attached to the frame of the vehicle. Modern motor mounts are found in a variety of locations such as the inner fender well, near the base of the radiator, at the base of the firewall, near the top of the radiator or as braces originating from the base of a motor/transmission to the frame of the vehicle. Most vehicles made in the past twenty years or so include three or four motor mounts.
When a component assembly such as a motor mount fails, a costly repair entailing replacement of the entire motor mount is required. A trade-off between the cost of labor and the cost of replacing a degraded motor mount with a new motor mount often dictates decisions about how a repair will be done. Bunker, U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,918 has disclosed a motor mount insert made of polyurethane to retrofit a clam-shell designed motor mount typically found in a truck. As discussed above, in many vehicles (vessels and equipment), the energy absorbing (compliant) material cannot be separated out and replaced as disclosed by Bunker, U.S. Pat. No. 6,349,918.
The inventors of this application disclose a repair material system for a component assembly of a vehicle (such as a motor mount) which is coupled to a vibrating member (such as an engine) of the vehicle and convenient procedures of using the repair material system to both repair and permit reuse of the component assembly. These procedures provide cost-effective repairs without requiring a complete retrofit of the component assembly.